1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for use in orthopedic surgical procedures, and more particularly to a suture anchor system and method for securing soft tissues, tendons and ligaments to bone during orthopedic surgical procedures.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is often necessary to secure soft tissues, tendons and ligaments to bone during orthopedic surgical procedures in both human and animal patients. In the past, various devices and methods have been developed to accomplish this soft tissue attachment. In one known procedure, the orthopedic surgeon would make large incisions into the soft tissue to expose the bone, drill angled holes through the bone, and then thread the sutures through the holes in order to achieve ligament or soft tissue attachment. This known procedure was extremely complex and time consuming.
Due to the difficulties and potential complications associated with the previous procedures, alternate devices and methods have been developed. One such form of device for attaching soft tissues to a bone, developed to overcome some of the disadvantages of the previous devices and procedures, are suture anchors. A suture anchor generally comprises an anchor member which can be seated within the bone. A suture strand is secured to the anchor member and, thus, is available for assisting in the attachment of soft tissues, tendons and ligaments to the bone. Suture anchors generally require less complex and time consuming surgical procedures than those associated with earlier methods for attaching soft tissue to bone.
However, there are improvements which can be made to existing known suture anchors and the surgical procedures for securing the suture anchor and suture to the bone. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide such a suture anchor system and method for securing soft tissues, tendons and ligaments to bone during orthopedic surgical procedures which improves upon existing devices and procedures.